The port of La Savina, front page of the APB calendar for 2026
The Formentera artist, Vero Sobrinho, is the author of the illustrations dedicated to the Islands’ ports and lighthouses
Palma
17/12/2025- Port-city
Autoridad Portuaria de Baleares (Port Authority of the Balearic Islands) dedicates its Christmas card and the 2026 calendar to the port of La Savina with illustrations by Vero Sobrinho and thus ends the five-year cycle of paying tribute to each of the five public ports that it manages. In 2022 the calendar was dedicated to the port of Palma with illustrations by Georgina Gamundí; in 2023 to Eivissa, with Diana Bustamante as guest illustrator; in 2024 it was the turn of the port of Maó with Iván Triay; and in 2025 it focused on the port of Alcúdia, with illustrations by Margalida Vinyes. Each of the artists has a direct relationship with the island harbour they draw.
Half Andalusian, half Brazilian, but raised in Formentera, Vero Sobrinho has dedicated the cover of the new year 2026 to the port of La Savina. A drawing instructor, after receiving her academic training in graphic arts, she is one of the promising young Pitiusan artists who is making her way professionally in the world of illustration.
— Vero, tell us what this commission has meant to you.
— It has been a very fun experience and, at the same time, very useful to grow as an artist. Being a novice myself, it has been the perfect opportunity to evolve and learn. I was also ecstatic to be able to illustrate the beautiful landscapes of the Balearic Islands. It's something I've always admired!
— The 2026 calendar is dedicated to the port of La Savina. How did you find inspiration to capture the essence of these spaces so essential to the inhabitants of Formentera?
— I took many walks around the port of La Savina and I realised that the part that stirs up most nostalgia and interest in me is the idea that all the local inhabitants have inevitably passed through it several times and, despite the years gone by, it never loses its charm. I wanted to reflect this in the drawing of the port, with the illustration of the tall palm trees, the countless fishing boats, the long walkway that in summer is filled with little craft shops... It is a pleasant and, I think, iconic image of the port. For the cover I chose this specific angle to highlight the view that anyone might have when approaching the pier: the stairs, the harbour station in the background, a ferry sailing off, a beautiful seascape accompanied by a cormorant and the classic scene of a podenco hound waiting for its master. Small details that the people of Formentera recognise instantly!
— Was there a particular port or scene that you found most special or moving to illustrate?
— If we talk about the most complicated drawing, it is undoubtedly the one in Maó, Menorca. I wanted to include a lot of details, following the same style that I have used in all the illustrations, but it ended up taking me more time than I expected. In addition, the location of the sailboat was also a bit difficult to fit in, but after several tries the final version came out.
— Your work has a very distinctive style. How would you describe your visual language? Do you think you take any inspiration from other artists from Formentera?
— I would say that it is a style with a pictorial touch, trying to imitate the effect achieved with acrylic paints or gouache, although it has been done digitally. I adapted this style with a great deal of time and patience, in a totally autonomous and personal manner. As for my interest in drawing landscapes—something that has never been my strong suit—it has been totally inspired by Feliu Renom, a landscape artist that you probably already know, an icon of Mallorca. His illustrations of natural and urban scenes of the Balearic Islands, drawn with detail and precision and adorned with watercolour spots, were key for me a few years ago. Getting to know his work and, above all, having had the opportunity to meet him in person, visit his studio and see his modus operandi was a real source of inspiration. Thanks to this, I have tried to dedicate more time to life drawing, and this has made me feel much more confident and given me a solid foundation in which to take on this project.
— What was the preliminary research like? Did you visit the ports in person or did you rely on photographs and documentation?
— The ports that were close to me (La Savina and Eivissa) I visited in person to capture their essence. In the case of the more distant ones, I searched for images in the gallery offered by the Ports de Balears website. I also found some photographs of friends living in Menorca and Mallorca very useful.
— Animals are a very common resource in your illustrations. Explain how you decide on their presence.
— As for the presence of animals, it is simply a matter of logic and personal taste. Some images contain seabirds, which are almost obligatory in coastal areas. And there is a goat that appears by a beautiful coincidence: a shepherd who lives near the Botafoc lighthouse used to let them graze in an area nearby and it was an inspiration.
— Before this work, were you familiar with the public ports of the Balearic Islands and the lighthouses managed by Autoridad Portuaria de Baleares?
— There are some that I did not expect to be managed by Ports de Balears. It was really interesting to find out!
— What do you hope the public will perceive when they see the calendar? What message or emotion do you want to convey with your illustrations?
— I hope they can perceive the admiration I feel for the clarity, the brightness and the serenity of these scenes. I would like to convey to them the same feeling I experienced while I was drawing them: affection. The sincere affection I have for our beautiful islands and the enormous gratitude I feel for having had the good fortune to be able to depict them.
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